The History of FTI

In the late 1990’s young lawyers throughout the south were exposed to countless stories and cases of egregiously inadequate representation given to capital defendants. They heard of scandalous transgressions in rural prosecutor’s offices or within local law enforcement, and denials of relief by higher courts applying impossible standards of proof on appeals and in post-conviction. In order for a capital defendant to escape execution their only hope was to avoid a death sentence at trial or in pretrial negotiations. Students’ passions about the death penalty were galvanized while in school, but upon graduation there was no ready entry point into the field.

Four law students, David Neal, Jonathan Soros, Matt Stiegler, and Zephyr Teachout, crafted a plan to address these issues. In 2001 they created what is now the Fair Trial Initiative. They envisioned that FTI would provide resources the state was unable to provide in death penalty trials. Foundation dollars and individual donors played a critical role in providing initial funding. After consulting with leaders across the region and nation, the founders created a two-year apprenticeship as an opportunity for new attorneys to enter the field. These new members of the bar would receive the best training offered in the nation and would draw on the experience of outstanding litigators as members of active death penalty trial teams.

These new and upcoming lawyers were welcomed by experienced attorneys who embraced the Fellows, their indefatigability, youthfulness and passion. They incorporated the Fellows’ energy, excitement and creativity into their trial planning.

It has worked. Fellow alumni have taken their skills and now offer them to indigent defendants across the state and nation in Public Defenders’ Offices, Capital Defender’s Offices, and private practice. Each is evidence of the success FTI’s founder’s vision to train and inspire a new generation of outstanding lawyers committed fairness and justice.